St.Croix

An Island that let my heart find contentment.

One of the first days there we got to do a scavenger hunt around the island. On our quest, we got to learn about the island, the culture, and meet a few people too. We met a guy who shared about his explorations, and we were asked deep questions by him like:

• money and knowledge aside what would your dream be?

• What brings you purpose?

• How do you find joy?

This man made us ponder why we decided to come to St. Croix in the first place, and it made us all realize that our hearts are bent towards Christ and sharing His love. As we talked with him, he said he was grateful to meet us, and will be taking our answers to heart to find his own purpose in life.

That same day we even got to pray for a local man who shared his story about the island and how we need to pray over the redemption of the people on the island to find Christ. We learned that day and days to come that this island is searching, searching for comfort in places they shouldn’t, and that we as follower of Christ need to come up beside them and form relationships with them so that they might see Christ through us, and through our prayers for them, they would find Him.

St. Croix taught me that relationships really do matter. Relationships should be based off of honesty, vulnerability, and being fully present. Without being present you can’t connect. In order to do this we weren’t allowed phones when it came to interacting with kids, which might seem like a basic rule, but it’s hard when you want to take pics of the kids you meet to remember them. Although, by having no phones and not being distracted by trying to “capture” the moment, it really pushed me to engage with the kids in a deeper level than I’ve done before. I listened to their stories, hugged them, and played with them with a full heart surrendered to making sure they felt seen and loved.

We had two sets of kids: a homeschool group and a group from lower-income families.

The homeschoolers came to our base twice, where we got to share a Bible skit with them and play basketball, Gaga ball, water balloon toss, and more. They were adorable children who embodied grace and love. We loved on them, and they made us feel loved too.

The second group we went to their neighborhood park twice a week, one time three, and one day they came to our base for a full day. They shared their stories with us, exhibited a playful spirit, and we poured into them with our time and our full attention through activities like football, blowing bubbles, the floor is lava, water balloon toss, tag, a Bible skit, and watching a movie. We also ate dinner with them on the Saturday they came over, and we shared jokes with one another as we ate. I even had the honor one day of praying over a young girl I met at the park, she was so strong and so beautiful and I reminded her of being a daughter of Christ, we ended our meeting with a heartfelt hug and it was evident God was in that moment.

Our team was able to pour into the kids, but the kids also poured into us. They showed us that despite your life circumstances joy can still remain.

We also had the privilege of helping a local farmer. We went twice to his farm, the first to pick weeds that were overgrown on his crops, and the second to make new beds and plant lemon grass. This farmer taught us what it meant to respect others and respect agriculture. For from agriculture, which is land provided by God, we are nourished. He taught us that we shouldn’t neglect the land we are meant to protect and to eat from, that locally grown foods are the best way to buy.

Not only did we help a local farmer but we helped restore the fence line at the church we attended on Sundays, The Way of the Cross, by painting over the chipped wood to make them bright and inviting again. From painting the fence, myself and another team member were asked if we could sing for Mother’s Day service, and we did! We were able to be a blessing for the community that was blessing to us with their welcoming hearts.

Another day half of our group had the opportunity to attend a volleyball clinic at the gym where a few days before we entirely cleaned, from the bathrooms, to the gym floor, to its walls, closets, and the bleachers. But on this particular day some of us got to play a match against their boys team and the other half went to the low-income housing to continue building relationships with the kids there. At the volleyball clinic I met the sweetest little girls and I got to teach them how to serve and play volleyball better. The conversations I had with them encouraged me to pray for their individual needs later that day: better education, better housing, and protection.

Later on that same day, we went to another low-income housing complex and we played baseball with the cutest kids, and even got the chance to share a Bible skit with them. One boy even had questions after the story which the boys on our team were able to answer with love and sincerity.

Our hosts were also the best hosts and people we could’ve ever have met and had. They taught us what it means to really love others, and they showed us what true hospitality is. Our conversations with them were uplifting and life-challenging. They fed us amazingly every day, took us to scenic places around the island such as the beach, tide pools(which consisted of a hike up a mountain), and the eastern most point of the U.S. to see the sunrise.

And my team. My team was the best people that could’ve been chosen for this trip. We bonded like family. We laughed a whole lot. We shared our stories, and we encouraged each other everyday. Seeing their hearts for the children we met and for the people we prayed for around the island, and how driven they were to complete the projects we did was beyond I could’ve imagined. I’m grateful I got to serve alongside them, and I’m thankful we get to be in each others lives. I can’t wait to see what Gods gonna do in our lives in the days to come.

St. Croix. You were good to me. I loved what I learned, and that I was able to walk away with a heart full of gratitude for your children on the island, and for the memories I will remember forever.